Monday, 29 November 2010

The power utility of Vanuatu (UNELCO) has set itself a goal of generating 33% of its electricity from renewable energy by 2013. Here at the 16th Conference of the Parties to the UN Climate Change Convention, Vanuatu hopes the world will agree to strengthen climate change mitigation policies. Although the nation is amongst the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change it is also amongst those countries that barely contributes to the global problem.

Despite this, Vanuatu is not discouraged in taking action and is doing what it can do to reduce carbon emissions by growing their reliance on renewable energy.

“Vanuatu’s position is similar or closely linked to the Small Island Developing States, we hope to have some outcomes here concerning mitigation, when it comes to that we’d like to see support for our renewable energy projects and hope to make a case for that here through dialogue with our Pacific partners,” said Ambassador Donald Kalpokas, Vanuatu’s Ambassador to the United Nations.

Hoping for success at this conference in Cancun, Vanuatu is also interested in seeking further support to achieve their renewable energy targets. Partners such as the Government of Italy and Austria have helped the country in achieving their energy goals, but at this meeting it is hoped that they will be able to negotiate for further developing assistance.

Vanuatu is part of the Pacific family that is attending the Cancun climate change talks, strengthened by Prime Minister of Vanuatu who is leading the delegation. In all there is a team of eight that is joining the Small Islands Developing States to strive for success in Cancun. As current chair of the Pacific Island Leaders Forum, Vanuatu is taking its responsibility seriously in supporting the rest of the Pacific at these negotiations.

“Even if we don’t get a legally binding agreement here, we want to see a way forward from here so that the next Conference of the Parties will address this issue.”

The 16th Conference of the Parties to the UN Conference on Climate Change is held in Cancun, Mexico from 29 November to 11 December.

28 November, Cancun, Mexico - Kiribati has had a demanding year as the small island nation strengthens its stance at the climate change negotiations. There is a 13 strong delegation that will be in attendance at the UN Climate conference in Cancun, Mexico, led by President Anote Tong.

In November this year the Tarawa Climate Change Conference which brought together 18 Small Island Developing States from the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean and the Pacific region including Australia and New Zealand, resulted in the Ambo Declaration (please read below/attached). It is hoped that the Small Islands developing States will take on essential parts of the Ambo declaration to be negotiated for in Cancun.

“What Kiribati would really like to see from the conference here in Cancun would be that at least some of the more important elements of the declaration itself can be taken on board with that at least with the negotiations,” said Andrew Teem, the Senior Policy Adviser for the Office of the President in Kiribati.

“It would be ideal if these could be reflected in the decisions that come out of Cancun.”

As with other Pacific island nations that engage in the climate change negotiations, the issues of ‘adaptation’ and ‘financing’ are significant concerns for Kiribati. The expectations for a solid agreement at this Cancun climate conference are being downplayed however for Kiribati they are still hopeful for some positive outcomes as are other members in the Alliance of Small Islands States (AOSIS). Teem states they have to be realistic in the expectations from this meeting and should focus on the issues that can lead to solid decisions at a later date.

“The reality of the situation at the moment is that it will not be possible within the next two weeks to come up with something solid which is better than an agreement that would mean nothing later on. We need to work to make sure the decisions that come out of Cancun will need to reflect the same concerns that we have been advocating over the past few years.”

The UNFCCC COP 16 is held in Cancun, Mexico from 29 November to 11 December.

Text from the Ambo Declaration - can be read in proper layout at:

http://www.climate.gov.ki/pdf/AMBO_DECLARATION.pdf

AMBO DECLARATION

We, Leaders, Ministers and Representatives of Governments participating in the Tarawa ClimateChange Conference held on 10th November 2010, recognizing that, climate change is one of thegreatest challenges of our time and that there is an urgent need for more and immediate action tobe undertaken to address the causes and adverse impacts of climate change, expressed;1. Alarm at the impacts of the climate change crisis already being felt in our countries threatening the sustainable development and security of our countries, especially theimmediate threat to the livelihood and survival of the most vulnerable States on thefrontline, including Small Island States, Least Developed Countries and countriessusceptible to drought and desertification;2. Grave concerns over recent scientific findings on the worsening state of the globalclimate as a result of human induced climate change, especially the primary impacts suchas sea level rise, ocean acidification and extreme weather events and their adverseconsequences, threatening the survival of atoll and low lying nations, their people andbiodiversity;3. Acknowledgement that anthropogenic climate change can be mitigated through greatercooperation by Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change(UNFCCC) and through individual and global commitment to achieving deep cuts incurrent and future emissions levels, and agreed to pursue this vigorously;4. Ongoing commitment to the principles and provisions of the UNFCCC, the KyotoProtocol, the Bali Road Map mandate and to building on the political understandings ofthe Copenhagen Accord.5. Deep concerns over the slow pace that international negotiations within the UNFCCC istaking to reach legally binding agreements necessary to meet the ultimate objectives of the Convention and call upon all Parties to work together to fast track the pace of thesenegotiations to safeguard the future of peoples, particularly those in the most vulnerableStates in the frontline;6. Acknowledgement that there are elements of common ground in the negotiations that canbe agreed on to form the basis of action in the immediate term, elements which when implemented will reduce the vulnerability and enhance the resilience and adaptivecapacity of developing countries, in particular, the most vulnerable States on thefrontline, especially Small Island States, Least Developed Countries and those countriessusceptible to drought and desertification.7. Express concern over loss and degradation of biodiversity and its impact on humanlivelihood and welfare, in particular, in the most vulnerable States in the frontline, andalso concern over the emissions added by land degradation;8. Recognise the connection between low cost, sustainable adaptation and mitigationoptions and maintaining a healthy biodiversity and urge all nations to use aspects ofbiodiversity to increase their climate resilience and pave the way for cost-effective,environmentally friendly and sustainable development especially in the most vulnerableStates in the frontline and further support the initiatives to implement the outcomes ofCBD COP 10 including the CBD Biodiversity Strategic Plan 2011-2020.We, Therefore Declare our resolve in moving forward with our collective commitment toaddressing the causes and impacts of climate change and:9. Call for decisions on an “urgent package” to be agreed to at the COP 16 for concrete andimmediate implementation reflecting the common ground of Parties, consistent with theprinciples and provisions of the Convention , and the Bali Action Plan, inter alia, to assistthose in most vulnerable States on the frontline to respond to the challenges posed by theclimate change crisis;10. Welcome the growing momentum and commitment for substantially increasing resourcesfor climate change financing and call on developed country Parties to make availablefinancial resources that are new and additional, adequate, predictable and sustainable, andon a clear, transparent and grant basis to developing country parties, especially the mostvulnerable States on the front line, to meet and address current and projected impacts ofclimate change;11. Acknowledge that the new fund to be established under the Convention should beoperationalized as soon as possible with efficient and transparent institutionalarrangements that ensures improved access, a balanced allocation of resources betweenadaptation and mitigation and considers the unique circumstances of most vulnerableStates in the frontline;12. Acknowledge that the new fund should provide for developing countries and in particular,the unique circumstances of the most vulnerable States on the frontline to the adverseimpacts of climate change;13. Call on Parties to the UNFCCC to consider the need for establishing an internationalmechanism responsible for planning, preparation for, and managing climate changerelated disaster risks in order to minimize and address the environmental and economiccosts associated with loss and damage;14. Urges the developed country Parties to the UNFCCC to support the implementation ofcountry-driven institutional strengthening and concrete adaptation priorities aimed atreducing vulnerability and building resilience in developing country Parties, in particular,the most vulnerable States on the frontline to the adverse effects of climate change;15. Support consideration of the development and implementation of strategies and actionsdirected at protecting people displaced within or across borders as a result of adverseeffects arising from climate change extreme events;16. Call on the developed country Parties to support the implementation of capacity buildingand transfer of technology priorities of developing country Parties to enhance their abilityto contribute to the rapid reduction and mitigation of global emissions and to adapt to theadverse impacts of climate change, and further supported by transfer of environmentallysound technologies on mitigation and adaptation;17. Call on developed country Parties to give priority support to the capacity building and technology transfer needs and priorities of the most vulnerable States in the frontline dueto the urgency of the climate change crisis facing them;18. Called on all Parties to the UNFCCC, in recognition of the urgency of the climatechange crisis, to aim for concrete decisions at COP 16 that will give an explicit mandatefor the timely conclusion of negotiations towards a legally binding outcome in line withthe Bali Road Map and the political understandings of the Copenhagen Accord;

Members of the Fiji Delegation with delegate from the Forum Secretariat and Palau

28 November, Cancun, Mexico - ‘Easy access to climate change funding’ is a key concern for Fiji at the 16th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework to the Convention on Climate Change in Cancun, Mexico (COP 16). The issue of new funds to help address climate change concerns in Small Islands Developing States (SIDS) and where they will be managed from has been under discussion during the negotiations this year.

“For Fiji, wherever the fund is ultimately,” said Sainivalati Navoti, Director Political and Treaties in Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Fiji, “what we would like to see is easy access to that fund, accessible sources of the fund that allow us to continue to address that challenge that climate change poses for Fiji.”

There is a strong team in the official Fiji delegation from diverse fields to accompany the Fiji government representatives including the Pacific Council of Churches and the Fiji media. With a wide range of delegates, Fiji intends to be meaningful contributors to the negotiations process as they have been with other Pacific island nations since the negotiation meetings increased under the Bali Action Road Map.

“This is the reality of multi-lateralism, if we want to have a binding treaty we need to negotiate and it’s not easy because there is a lot of sovereign interest at stake. If we do come up with a treaty it has to be give and take, we need to talk and identify areas that we can arrive at a compromise because that is the rule of the game and we have to play.”

The head of delegation for Fiji is Col. Samuela Saumatua the Minister of Local Government, Housing, Urban Development and Environment. He is accompanied byFiji’s Ambassador to the European Union, Ambassador Peceli Vocea, who is also the board member of the adaptation fund. The Director of Environment of Fiji is also a member of the delegation along with those from the Department of Foreign Affairs, Environment and other partners.

The UNFCCC COP 16 is held in Cancun, Mexico from 29 November to 11 December.

UNFCCC COP 19

The 19th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is held in Warsaw, Poland from 11 to 22 November.

All 14 Pacific island countries are represented at these climate negotiations.

About AOSIS

The Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) is a coalition of small island and low-lying coastal countries that share similar development challenges and concerns about the environment, especially their vulnerability to the adverse effects of global climate change. It functions primarily as an ad hoc lobby and negotiating voice for small island developing States (SIDS) within the United Nations system.

AOSIS has a membership of 44 States and observers, drawn from all oceans and regions of the world: Africa, Caribbean, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean, Pacific and South China Sea. Thirty-seven are members of the United Nations, close to 28 percent of developing countries, and 20 percent of the UN’s total membership. Together, SIDS communities constitute some five percent of the global population.

Member States of AOSIS work together primarily through their New York diplomatic Missions to the United Nations. AOSIS functions on the basis of consultation and consensus. Major policy decisions are taken at ambassadorial-level plenary sessions. The Alliance does not have a formal charter. There is no regular budget, nor a secretariat. With the Permanent Representative of Saint Lucia as its current chairman, AOSIS operates, as it did under previous chairmanships, out of the chairman’s Mission to the United Nations.